Sacrifice
by Aiko Yamasaki
Summary: If you were forced to make a decision, save a life or witness a death, what would you choose? Risk death for someone you love? or live on with the image of their limp body in your arms? Hero, or a mere bystander? The choice is yours. COMMENTS PLZ!


**Sacrifice **

When you experience death, what do you feel? Sad, alone, abandoned, confused? Utterly hopeless? We all lose someone. It's a given fact of life. Once we are conceived into this world it is destined that at one point someone close to you will die. Whether it's your mother, father, grandparents or even a close friend. It doesn't matter. But it will happen, and then before you know it you're the one that must die and someone close to you must suffer and live with the pain. Just like you once did . It's an ugly cycle, but one we all must bear and live through it.

No one has known pain like Rei has. In her entire life shes lost everything. Her family, friends, comrades, her lover and now her brothers. It's a horrific sight when you must watch your only remaining family fight to the death. Your younger brother beating your older one to a bloody mess. But what could she have done? When tied to a tree there isn't much you can do. No matter how loud you scream, no matter how hard you cry or fight against your restraints no one can hear you over the booming roar of the black flames that encompass you, or the screams of the two fighters that continue to slash at each other. You just sit in horror and watch the almost dreamlike scene , in awe and terror.

Rei did just that. Her older brother had known she would try to stop the fight, so he drugged her, knocked her out and tied her up. But why he tied her here with this perfect view of the entire fight, even I don't know. He must have known what he was doing, after all he is one of the most intelligent Ninja in the Fire Nation. So the question that sank into Rei's head could not be answered. No matter how hard she thought and mulled it over, the fact of the matter was she had no answer to this puzzling situation as to why she was put here in this very spot. So, she continued to scream and plea for them to stop, though neither Sasuke nor Itachi paid no mind to her. Their focus was on each other and who would come out alive.

They fought and fought, each getting weaker and weaker as the other pounded against them. They used their most powerful techniques, blocking the attacks thrown at them. The battle seemed to be only getting worse for both of them. At this rate, it was unclear to everyone if anyone would make it out alive. But, even with that fear eating away at their strength no one gave in. Itachi had activated his Mangekyou Sharingan and captivated his little brother in a terrifying illusion. This weakened Sasuke greatly as he screamed aloud in pain mixed fear. But it wasn't just Sasuke suffering, Itachi's technique took a great deal of energy out of him, not too mention the toll it did to his eyes. As the crimson blood streamed down his cheek from his right eye, he fell onto one knee, panting heavily. In that very moment Sasuke had started to transform. The curse mark on his neck started to pulse and spread its design across his entire body. Two giant gray wings in the shape of a demon's hands ripped through his back as he hunched over, both of his hands on the ground for support, and breathed heavily. This was a major indication that the battle was ending soon. And an indication, that more pain was ahead for Rei.

Sasuke charged for his older brother with the intent to kill him with absolutely no mercy. Just when it seemed it was over for Itachi, his head shot up and in an instant black flames latched onto Sasuke's wings, tearing them apart. As they fell to the ground with a loud thump, a shrill of agony cut through the air, though, who was in such pain is unclear. Sasuke fell to the ground head first. Blood dripped from the new wound on his face, adding to the collection he had obtained throughout this battle. Itachi dragged himself closer to his little brother, a pained expression on his face. Blood seemed to flood from his eyes as it started to come out his mouth as well. He coughed hard, a lump in his throat, and leaned over Sasuke, who was now on his back. They stared at each other, neither able to throw an attack. Itachi placed two fingers on Sasuke's head, a blue glow illuminating his face and his sharingan fading away. Itachi coughed again, blood splattering like paint on Sasuke's face. He moved his finger's from Sasuke's forehead to his bare shoulder where Orochimaru's curse mark was located. Another blue glow lit up his face, a booming shrill echoed throughout the stone arena. Itachi winced, his vision blurring. He rolled over onto his back, now laying next to Sasuke.

"Sa..su..ke..." He mumbled, choking back another painful cough. "Please.. forgive me.." His voice was weak and raspy, but clear. Itachi turned his head to look at his younger brother, his warm tears mixing with the blood on his face. "Rei.. will explain.." his voice trailed off as if he were thinking of the proper words to say. He continued. "...everything..."

It was a rare sight for both Sasuke and Rei to see their brother cry. Rei screamed at the top of her lungs, making the hairs on Sasuke's neck stand up. "Itachi!" She tugged and tugged on the rope that bound her hands. She didn't care that it had already worn away the skin until it was nothing more than mere raw flesh, she wanted, no, needed to get to Itachi. Her eyes began to glow an ominous yellow. She had no iris for it had faded away, swallowed by the increasingly bright light that lit from her eyes. Her head shot back as every muscle tensed in her body, the pain getting worse and worse and the glow turning more red. Fear and rage built up inside her.

_I must break free! I must break free! _She thought. _He can't die! _Rei pulled as hard as she could, the rope now tearing apart her wrists. A light purple glow began to illuminate from her body. She pulled even harder, drawing more strength from the forbidden well inside her, the rope ripping even more flesh off of her wrists until finally it snapped. Rei fell to the ground hard, dislocating her knee. However, she bit her lip and rushed over to her brothers, tending to Itachi first. She placed her hands on his chest and began to heal his injured lungs and trying steady his slowing heart.

"Rei.. s..stop..." he choked. " Let.. me.. die..." his eyes began to close as he fell into a deep coma.

Rei swore under her breath, fearing she was going to be too late. She healed and healed, both of her hands now on each brothers' chest. She grew weaker as the life drained from her body. The technique she was using wasn't any medical jutsu. It was forbidden to be used at all for the risk was too great. If she continued like this she was surely going to die. But it was all worth it if her brothers were to stay alive.

Sasuke weakly touched Rei's hand. He looked more confused than ever. He spoke weakly to her, his eyes half closed. " Rei.. please.. what's.. going on?" He swallowed hard, embracing himself for the truth.

"It's not his fault, Sasuke.. Ni-chan was forced to do that horrible deed.." Rei coughed, tears swelling up in her eyes. "Donzo made him... Itachi was just following orders.." tears began to fall from her eyes, one landing on top of Sasuke's hand. "Sasuke.. I'm so sorry you had to go through this.. please take care of him for me.." Sasuke's eyes closed, he too was succumbing to the growing blackness that veiled him with its dark blanket.

The purple glow dimmed as she struggled to stay conscious. Rei's head bobbed as she began to fade into the darkness of her hazing mind. One minute she was gazing at Itachi's calm face and the next she was collapsed onto his chest, cold and limp.


End file.
